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Interviews/ Q&A

Phoenix

Reprinted with permission from The Host Index As told by Corygirl (Edited for length by THC)

Q: How did you come up with The Host?A: As everyone knows Twilight was a dream. The Host came to her while driving through the boring desert. She used to tell stories to herself before she started writing, now she keeps them on a computer and comes back to the ones she is really excited about. She looked at her list and was most excited about The Host, so she chose to write it. She also shared that she was almost done editing Breaking Dawn and she is going to do Midnight Sun next. But it may not be for a while.

Q: (This was my question!!) When you started writing The Host, did you have a set plan for the ending or did you change your mind several times while writing?A: She said that Ian was a SURPRISE! She was thinking Jared was going to be it, but he started to get on her last nerve. Ian developed before her as she was writing and he couldn't be ignored. (THANK youStephenie!!!) She basically changed the ending to allow for Ian.

Q: All of your characters have one distinguishing characteristic in common, their eyes. Why is this?A: Eyes are the window to the soul. They tell if you are sincere. Eyes give people away.

Q: (Favorite question ever!) You mentioned that you got all the alien names mixed up with the Jims and Pams. Is this a reference to The Office?A: YES! (She was very enthusiastic about this)

Q: Somewhere it was mentioned that The Host was co-authored. Is this true?A: No. All of her books are completely and totally her own.

Q: Do you know anyone who inspired any of your characters from The Host?A: Yes. Doc was inspired by her brother, Seth who is also 6'6", thin and sweet. (Also webmaster of her site)

Q: Which planet was your favorite to create?A: The Bat planet. She thought it was wonderful to have music be the ultimate base of communication and emotion.

Q: I really appreciate that your books are very clean. Have you experienced any pressure to add smut?A: In the beginning, yes. You have to know when it is appropriate to bend and when you need to say no. When her values were in question she stuck with how she wanted it to be because it is not going to change. She now feels much more free to say no since she is no longer a newbie in the position.

Q: Were you able to explore issues in The Host that you weren't able to explore in the Twilight series?A: She started by saying that she never stopped the Twilight series while writing The Host. They were written together, there was no way not to. she never consciously chose a demographic for either book, her publishers did that for her. She was writing for herself. So, no, she didn't really choose to explore issues in one vs. the other.

Q: Is there going to be a sequel to The Host?A: Possibly a while from now. She has outlines for book number 2 and 3. She would write it as a trilogy, but it would mean characters she loves would have to die and that was a problem for her.

Q: Why was the book called The Host and not The Soul? (Seeing as it was written in mostly Wanderer's perspective)A: She called it The Host BECAUSE it was in Wanderer's perspective. This is the host that changed everything for her. Melanie changed her life, which is why it is The Host.

Q: Who would play the characters in The Host movie if they chose to make one?A: Jared=Matt Damon; Ian=James McAvoy; Melanie= Nobody could play both roles and do it well in her opinion. Playing this role seems impossible.

Q: Did your books get longer or shorter as time went on? A: The Host got longer (Ian brought in...hehe) but the others got shorter.

Q: Who or what is your worst critic?A; She said that she is her own worst critic. She has a lot of insecurities. She was not sure if Twilight was okay or total crap (yes, she said crap) and when she sent it away she was totally nervous. She encourages writers to believe in their writing. Think about characters and run with them. If you are addicted to your writing, others will be to. If you are excited to come back to your writing and read it again, others will love it as well. If you are bored with it, don't continue, because others might be bored as well.

Q: How do you feel about writing as a job?A: Writing should be fun, not work. Writing is a lot more fun than getting up and speaking in front of a thousand people.

Q: A majority of your fans are female. Do you have any messages for your male fans?A:A) You rock!B) You are my favorites.C) You are the ones most likely to get a response to messages on MySpace.D) You are brave to show up at an event with 990 women.E) You are smart because you showed up somewhere 990 women are. (Alcyone says [and snickers]:Kinda like the boys who took ballet. They were alone with twenty girls in tights.)

She was amazingly kind and gracious when I met her and she signed my books. What an amazing woman and quite the inspiration!! I am so thankful for getting this chance to see her!